Thill-coupling



(No Model'.)

J. EDGAR. THILL COUPLING.

No. 605,666. Patented June14, 1898.

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UNITED] STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN EDGAR, OFROCHESTER, MINNESOTA.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,666, dated June 14, 1898.

Application filed October 26, 1897. Serial No. 656,393. (No model.)

To all whomJ it may concern:

Be itknown that I, JOHN EDGAR, of the city of Rochester, in the county of Olmsted and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thin-Couplings,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to thill-couplings and antirattlers; and the object of the invention is to provide athill-coupling which will allow clamping member or jawto also engagethe thill-iron and hold the same against movement in the other direction; and the invention further consists in detail constructions and combinations,all as hereinafter described,

and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawin gs, forming a part of this specification, and

in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a thillcoupling embodying my invention. Fig..2is a perspective .view of the shackle. Fig. 3is a perspective view of the movable member. Fig. 4.- is a perspective viewof the thill-iron. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the thill-coupling shown in Fig. 1 Fig. 6: is a vertical section illustrating a further modification of my invention. v

As shown in the drawings, 2 represents the shackle, which is bound upon the axle and axle-stock by the usual clip 3. The shackle is provided with a preferably integral horizontal web 4 to receive the thumb-nut 5, which is swiveled in said webe. The sides of the shackle are provided with the vertical slots or notches 6 to receive the ends of the thilleyebolt 7. The bolt 7 is preferably formed integrally with the thill-iron 8, projecting from the ends of the thill-iron in the form of studs or trunnions. To secure thebolt in the slots or notches 6, into which the bolt will naturally drop when the thill-iron is placed on top of the shackle, I provide the movable member or clamping part 9, embracing the thilliron and providedwit-h slots 'or notcheslO, extending at right angles to the notches 6 in the shackle. A screw 11 depends from the underside of the movable member 9 and may be raised or lowered by means of the swiveled 6o thumb-nut 5. When the member is drawn down, the eyebolt, as shown in Fig. 1, will be pinchedbetween the upper arms of said member and the loot-toms of the slots or notches 6.- To increase the bearings of the clamp upon the thill-iron, the upper'arms of the clamp are provided with lateral extensions 9 The pressure upon the bolt to prevent the rattling or motion thereof may be varied by. means of the thumb-nut. The thumb-nut is arranged as shown clearly in Fig. 5that is, swiveled' in order thatit may not be lost when the movable member is removed for any reason. It will be noted that the jaws of the movable member open rearwardly,and this feature of my device 7 5 possesses an especial advantage-namely, in putting on the thills or tongue the eyes are. simply rested upon the tops of the shackles and drawn forward into the movable jaws, from which they cannot fallwhile if the jaws 8o opened outwardly it wouldbenecessary to use care in steering both eyes of the thills or tongue into the two shackles at the same time, which is a difficult feat.

In place of the vertical movable jaws or member I may employ horizontal movable jaws, as shown in Fig. 6. In this case the shackle is provided with upwardly and rearwardly turning hooks or jaws 12, while the movable jaws are provided with vertical slots 13 and are adapted toslide upon the horizontal portion 14 of the shackle and to be tightened upon the thill-iron by means of a horizontal screw 15, which screw is fastened, so that it cannot move longitudinally in the lugs 9 5 16, depending from the under side of the shackle.

It is obvious that various modifications of my invention would readily suggest themselves to one skilled'in the'art, and I there- 10o fore do not confine my invention to the particular construction herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, of the shackle, provided with slots or notches to receive the thilliron, with vertically-movable clamping-jaws, having arms extending across the slots or notches in the shackle, and means for drawing down said movable member or jaw, substantially as described.

2. The combination, of the shackle, provided with the vertical slots or notches, with the jaw provided with horizontal slots or notches, a screw upon said movable jaw, and a swiveled nut upon said shackle, as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, of the relatively-movable shaekle and clamp, having opposed slots or openings to receive a thill-iron, with a swiveled member on one of said parts, engaging a threaded part on the other for the adjustment thereof, substantially as described.

I. The combination, of the shackle, and the movable jaw, provided with vertically and rearwardl yo pening slots, with means for looking said movable jaw, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a shackle having slots 6 and a swiveled nut 5, of a clamp 9 having slots 10 and screw 11 to engage said nut 5, and said slots 0 and 10 being substantially at right angles to each other and adapted to receive the studs or trunnions upon a tbilliron, substantially as described.

6. The combination, of a shackle, with a clamp, a screw for adjusting said clamp, said shackle and clamp having openings to receive a thill-iron, and having opposed portions to engage and hold said iron, and said clamp being adapted to support said thill-iron and raise the same out of engagement with said shackle, substantially as described.

7. The combination, ofa shackle and clamp, having oppositely-extending thill-iron slots, and having opposed portions to engage and hold a thill-iron, means for adjusting said clamp, and said clamp being adapted to support said thill-iron and move it into engagement with said shackle and raise it out of engagement therewith, substantially as described.

S. The combination, of a shackle having slots to receive a thill-iron, and a movable bar or clamp, provided with slots extending opposiiely with respect to those in the shackle, means for adjusting said movable clamp and said clamp being adapted to carry a thill-iron into engagement with said shackle and move the same out of engagement therewith, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this th day of October, A. D. 1897.

JOHN EDGAR.

In presence of U. G. IIAWLEY, A. F. llomms. 

